Ink
by captainodonewithyou
Summary: On the way back through the Enchanted Forest, Emma discovers an unexpected tattoo upon her pirate's back. (swan)


"Really, Emma. Any time now would be good." The sarcasm in Hook's voice is overwritten by stress. He stabs his word hastily at another flying monkey as it circles around him, just grazing the edge of it's wing. It continues it's attack, unfazed.  
"I'm trying, dammit!" Emma shouts angrily. Less than a week ago, Regina had attempted to show Emma the way to create a powerful ball of fiery magic. Now though, no matter how hard she tries to coax her emotions into magic, nothing appears. Her eyes shift upwards to follow the group of monkeys that circle in the sky above as they prepare to attack again.  
And then the monkeys are diving at them. Emma desperately wants to cover her ears. She want to block out the sound of the flapping wings. She wants to forget the blood curdling screeches that the monkeys let out with every slash of their razor sharp claws. She wants to run, back to her life in New York City with Henry, where fairy tales are simply that. Where Snow White is just in a character in a movie. Where Peter Pan is a hero and not the insane man who kidnapped her son. Where Captain Hook is a villain to laugh at, rather than the closest friend she has.  
_But she can't._**_  
_**All she can see are the bits of monkey fur as they flash past her.  
"Swan!"  
It's Hook's desperate voice that finally brings her back to reality. She blinks quickly to clear the tears from her burning eyes and sees him. He's frantically waving his sword through the air at the cackling monkeys that surround him. But they simply flap their wings faster and the sword meets no target. He cries out as dozens of claws land on him, cutting right through his thick leather coat and into his skin. Emma's heart sinks into the pit of her stomach and she barely notices the electric pulse that goes through her body. She notices the results, though. The burst of magic shoves the monkeys outwards, away from her and away from Hook. She pays no attention to them as they knock into each other in their frantic rush to get away. Her feet feel like lead as she moves towards Hook.  
"Hey, beautiful." His voice is raspy as he greets her the way he did long ago, that first night that she'd seen him in Storybrooke. The night he'd foolishly thrown himself in front of Greg Mendell's car. "And here I didn't think you noticed."  
"Shh. Can you sit up?" She asks as she kneels beside him. With her help, he can. Then slowly, cautiously, she slips the torn jacket from his shoulders.  
"One innuendo, and I may just leave you to the monkeys." She warns.  
He watches her with watery blue eyes.  
"Quite the show back there, Swan."  
She doesn't answer, but a tiny hint of a smile tugs at her lips.  
"Bloody awful creatures, they are." He continues. "The regular ones are bad enough. Give them wings and an attitude, and they're bloody demons."  
"They'll probably be back soon, too." Emma adds as she pours the remaining water from her canteen over Hook's bloodied back. "Any chance you've still got your flask?"  
He pulls the small glass bottle from the pocket of his pants (How the hell he manages to fit anything in the pockets of those skin tight leather pants of his is a mystery the world may never learn) and hands it to her.  
"This is gonna hurt." She warns him, and he nods. She pours the stinging rum carefully over the deepest cuts. Colorful expletives are spit from Hook's mouth and he grabs her hand tightly. She's surprised, but squeezes his hand back as reassuringly as she can. As she wipes the rest of the blood from his back with the remains of his tattered shirt, she sees something black on his shoulder blade next to one of the deeper scratches. She brushes her fingers against it, and feels his muscles tense as he realizes that she's seen it. A tattoo. A swan, to be exact. Hook turns to her, his eyes glancing nervously away from hers.  
"Emma, I-"  
"When did you get a swan tattoo?" She murmurs, still tracing its outline with her fingers.  
"During the year we were apart." His voice is growing weaker. He's losing too much blood, but he barely seems to notice. "I'm sorry if you hate it, Emma. I needed it. I needed something to hold onto until I could find you."  
"I don't… I don't hate it." She forces her voice to stop shaking. "You've done more for me than anyone ever has. Thank you."  
They're silent for a moment, pools of blue staring into green.  
"So, savior." Hook is the first to speak again. "Can you fix it?"  
"I… What?"  
"You've got magic. The crocodile healed his lady friend with it, so you can heal this, can't you?"  
Emma stares at him.  
"I don't… I don't know how. I'm sorry. We need to get you back to camp, so Regina can-"  
"Swan." He stops her. "I can't make it that far, and you know it."  
Emma fights back the tears that push against her eyelids.  
"Please, just try."  
She nods, and stretches out her hands over his back. She focuses on the swan that will forever remain a part of this man, and with the image burned into her mind and with tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks, she closes her eyes. And waits.


End file.
